[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54981-54982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27325]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Georgia Transmission Corporation, Notice of Intent

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to hold scoping meetings and prepare an 
environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
proposes to prepare environmental assessments related to possible 
financing assistance to Georgia Transmission Corporation for the 
construction of approximately 25 miles of 230 kV transmission line and 
30 miles of 500 kV transmission line. The 230 kV transmission line 
project would be located in Heard and Carroll Counties, Georgia. The 
500 kV transmission line would be located in Heard, Carroll, and 
Douglas Counties, Georgia.

[[Page 54982]]


DATES: RUS and Georgia Transmission Corporation will conduct a scoping 
meeting in an open house format from 3 P.M. until 8 P.M. on Thursday, 
November 15, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Carrollton Parks Recreation 
and Cultural Arts Center in the Optimist Room located at 118 South 
White Street, in Carrollton, Georgia 30117, phone (770)-832-1161. The 
purpose of the meeting is to provide information to the public and 
solicit comments.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Quigel, Engineering and Environmental 
Staff, Rural Utilities Service, Stop 1571, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1571, telephone (202) 720-0468. Mr. Quigel's 
e-mail address is [email protected]. You can also contact Ms. Analee 
Mayes at Georgia Transmission Corporation at (770) 270-7030. Ms. Mayes' 
e-mail address is [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two separate transmission lines are being 
proposed. A separate environmental assessment will be prepared for each 
transmission line. Georgia Transmission Corporation proposes to 
construct a 230 kV transmission between the Yellowdirt Switching 
Station at Plant Wansley in Heard County to the proposed Hickory Level 
Substation in Carroll County. (The Hickory Level Substation is 
anticipated to be in service by 2002 as it is a needed system 
improvement regardless of the 230 kV transmission line described 
herein.) Concrete or steel single pole structures ranging in height 
from 90 to 130 feet would support the conductors and would require a 
right-of way of approximately 100 feet. The approximate length of the 
line is 25 miles. It is anticipated that this transmission line would 
be in service in the spring of 2004. Georgia Transmission Corporation 
proposes to construct a 500 kV transmission line from the existing 
substation at Plant Wansley in Heard County to the existing Villa Rica 
#2 Substation east of Villa Rica, in Douglas County. Lattice steel 
structures would be used to support the conductors for the length of 
the project. The heights of these structures typically range from 80 to 
150 feet and require a right-of-way width of 180 feet. The approximate 
length of the line is 30 miles. It is anticipated that this 
transmission line would be in service by the spring of 2008.
    Alternatives considered by RUS and Georgia Transmission Corporation 
include: (a) No action, (b) alternative transmission improvements, and 
(c) alternative transmission line corridors. An Alternative Evaluation 
Study and Macro Corridor Study Report, prepared by Georgia Transmission 
Corporation, will be presented at the public scoping meetings. The 
report is available for public review at RUS at the address provided in 
this notice, at Georgia Transmission Corporation, 2100 East Exchange 
Place, Tucker, Georgia 30085 and at:

Whitesburg City Hall, 788 Main Street, Whitesburg, GA 30185, Phone: 
770-832-1184
Neva Lomason Memorial Library, 710 Rome Street, Carrollton, GA 30117, 
Phone: 770-836-6711
Villa Rica City Hall, 571 West Bankead Hwy., Villa Rica, GA 30180, 
Phone: 770-459-3656
Heard County Public Library, 564 Main Street, Franklin, GA, Phone: 706-
675-6501
Villa Rica Public Library, 70 Horace Luther Dr., Villa Rica, GA 30180, 
Phone: 770-459-7012
Carrollton City Hall, 315 Bradley Street, Carrollton, GA 30117, Phone: 
404-830-2000
Mr. Jim Veal, Roopville City Council, P.O. Box 410, Roopville, GA 
30170, Phone: 770-854-7723
    Government agencies, private organizations, and the public are 
invited to participate in the planning and analysis of the proposed 
project. Representatives from RUS and Georgia Transmission Corporation 
will be available at the scoping meetings to discuss RUS's 
environmental review process, describe the project, the need for the 
project, and macro corridors under consideration, and discuss the scope 
of environmental issues to be considered, answer questions, and accept 
oral and written comments. Written comments will be accepted for 30 
days after the public scoping meeting. Written comments should be sent 
to RUS at the address provided in this notice.
    From information provided in the alternative evaluation and site 
selection study, input that may be provided by government agencies, 
private organizations, and the public, Georgia Transmission Corporation 
will prepare an environmental analysis to be submitted to RUS for 
review. RUS will use the environmental analysis to determine the 
significance of the impacts of the project and may adopt it as its 
environmental assessment of the project. RUS' environmental assessment 
of the project would be available for review and comment for 30 days.
    Should RUS determine, based on the environmental assessment of the 
project, that the impacts of the construction and operation of the 
plant would not have a significant environmental impact, it will 
prepare a finding of no significant impact. Public notification of a 
finding of no significant impact would be published in the Federal 
Register and in newspapers with a circulation in the project area.
    Any final action by RUS related to the proposed project will be 
subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with environmental review 
requirements as prescribed by CEQ and RUS environmental policies and 
procedures.

    Dated: October 23, 2001.
Glendon D. Deal,
Acting Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff.
[FR Doc. 01-27325 Filed 10-30-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P